Miniature camera



Oct. 13, 1936. w. MARcusslf-:N 2,057,198

MINIATURE CAMERA Filed May 25, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR #Q7/767m/Varruss en RNEYS.

Oct. 13, 1936. w MARCUSSEN 2,057,198

MINIATURE CAMERA Filed May 25, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR )Vfl/7e imMr@ assen TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE MINIATURE CAMERAWilhelm Marcussen, Hazel Park, Mich. I

Application May 25, 1934, Serial No. 727,522

7 Claims. (Cl. 95-42) This invention relates to cameras and moreespecially to the type of cameras employing a swinging mirror forreflecting an image upon a focusing screen.

The principal object of the invention is to improve the 'art ofphotography.

A more specific object is to provide, in conjunction with a swingingmirror and as a part of a camera, an improved focusing means adapted:

to employ different focal lengthed lenses, to be at least partiallyretractible within the camera, and to avoid interference with saidswinging mirror.

Another object of the invention is to provide l5 in a cameraconstruction, a camera chamber and mirror, each constructed and arrangedso as to prevent reflected light from reaching a film during exposure ofthe latter.

A further object is to provide synchronized` mechanism for adjusting theposition of a film, winding up a focal plane shutter, operating aswinging mirror, and actuating an exposure counting device.

A further object is to provide means, at least partially retractiblewithin a camera and adjustable to different eyes, for magnifying animage on a focusing screen and arranged so as to present to the view ofan observer the entire image on said screen.

50 Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing description and appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the genus of the invention, a typicalconcrete embodiment of cam- ;5 era construction is shown in theaccompanying drawings'I in which:

Figure 1 is a central, vertical section taken longitudinally oi thecamera construction;

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections taken on the L0 lines 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal detail section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a top plan of the camera construction with the top coverremoved;

L5 Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a more or less diagrammatic view of the gearing and associatedparts shown in Figs. 1 and 5, certain parts being shown in section and.0 certain gears as having their axes arranged in a single plane. I

Referring to the drawings, and more especially to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and6, the camera construction includes a case having front and rear casing5 halves I0 and II, a top cover I2, and a bottom cover I3. The camera isprovided with an inner frame work including a top horizontal partitionmember I4 extending from the front casing half I0 to the rear casinghalf II and provided with a flange I5 adapted to abut the latter casinghalf, 5 a lower horizontally disposed partition member I6 provided witha ange Il at the forward edge thereof and attached to the forward casinghalf I0 by means of screws I8. A pair of vertically disposed partitionmembers 2l and 2 2 connect 10 the upper and lower partitions I4 and I6and are arranged substantially normal to the front face of the camera. Avertically disposed partition member 23 completes the inner framing andhasportions 24 parallel with the partition members l5 2| and 22 and arear portion 25 parallel with the back face of the camera. The partitionmember 23 also connects the upper and lower partition members I4 and I6and is provided in portion 25 with a iilm exposing window I9. 20 The topcover I2 is provided with an outwardly pressed portion 26 having aninternally threaded flange portion 21 which threadably receives an eyepiece sleeve 30. The lens 3l is held to the eye piece sleeve 30 by meansof a collar 32 25 threaded to the sleeve 30. The upper horizontallydisposed partition I4 of the inner framework is provided with arectangular shaped opening 33 extending generally transverse of the caseand covered by a ground glass screen 34 as indl- 30 cated in Figs. 2 and5. The window 33 and screen 34 are disposed directly below the lens 3|.The space between the vertically disposed partition members 2| and 22and the portions of the horizontally arranged upper and lower partition35 members I4 and I6 arranged between the partition members 2| and 22,constitutes the picture chamber 35 of the camera. Mounted between thevertically disposed partition member 2l and v22 is a swinging mirror 36adapted to be moved 4o to and from a horizontally disposed position, asindicated by dot-and-dash line in Fig. 2, to a degree position, asindicated in dotted line in Fig. 3 and to a greater angular positionwith respect to the horizontal, as indicated in full line in Fig. 45 2.The mirror 36 is provided with depending flanges 3l at the lateralmargins thereof, which are pivotally connected by pins 40 to thevertically disposed partition members 2I and 22, approximately below butvertically spaced from the rear edge of the mirror when the latter isdisposed in horizontal position, as indicated by dotand-dash line inFig. 2. By arranging the pins 40 outside the plane of the mirror 38, therear edge of the mirror moves upwardly and rearwardly with reference tothe front face of the camera. This causes the front edge of the mirror`to swing in an arc about the pins 40 as a center, so that the front edgeof the mirror moves in a nearer vertical path than would be the case ifthe pivot pins 40 were disposed in the plane of the mirror 35. The innerwalls of the partition members 2| and 22, which constitute the sidewalls of the picture chamber 35, are provided with vertically extendingcorrugations 4| and the bottom surface of the mirror 35, or backingtherefor, is provided with laterally extending corrugations for thepurpose of preventing reflected light from striking a film 43 arrangedat the rear portion of the picture chamber 35. The mirror 35 is normallydisposed at the 45 degree position indicated in Fig. 3 so that it willreflect an image through the front face of the camera to the screen 34so that it may be viewed through the lens 3|. The mirror 35, aspreviously indicated, is pivoted outside and below its own plane so thatupon its upward swing it will also move in a rearward direction as muchas possible to conserve space and is yieldably mounted in such a mannerthat it will swing to a greater angular position than the one indicatedin Fig. 3 to enable a retractible lens mount 44 to be retracted into thepicture chamber 35.

The front casing half |0 is provided with a rectangular and transverselyarranged aperture 45 for permitting the backward swing of the mirror 35thereto and the upper and lower margins of the aperture 45 are cut awayon circular arcs as indicated at 45 in Fig. 1 to permit retraction ofthe lens mount 44 to a position at least partially within the picturechamber 35. Any desired type of simple or compound lens, telescopes, orthe like may be mounted within the lens mount 44. The focusing device ofthe lens carried by the mount 44 is preferably in the form of a pair ofrings 50 and 5| threaded to each other and the rings 50 provided with aflange 52 secured to the front casing half |0 and provided with anaperture 54 corresponding to the apertures 45, 45 in the casing half |0.The ring 5| is provided with an inwardly directed flange 55 at its outerend which is internally threaded for the reception of a holding ring 55which is internally threaded to cooperate with mating threads 51provided at the lens mount 44 for permitting further adjustment of lensheld in said mount. The ring 55 may be unscrewed from the flange 55 sothat any one of a number of interchangeable lens units may be mounted onthe camera. The mask or blind 50 is mounted upon the rear face of thefront casing half I0 by means of a pair of headed pins 5| having springs52 thereon interposed between the front face of the camera and the headsof pins 5|. The mask or blind 50 serves to cover the upper cut-awayportion 45 so that light will not leak therethrough upon exposure of thelm 43. The springs 52 yield to permit retraction of the blind 50 whenthe lensv mount 44 is turned back or retracted into the picture chamber35, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Reference may now be had to Figs. 1, 5. 6 and 7 which illustrate themechanism for synchronizing the motion or operations of the nlm, thefocal plane shutter, the mirror, and an exposure counting device. Ashutter winding button 08 is Journaled in a bushing 54 fixed to the topcover I2 and has nxed to the lower end thereof a gear 55. The gear 55 isconnected by means of idler gears 55 and 51. journaled upon stub shafts10 and 1I, with a gear 12 which is journaled for free rotation upon theshaft 13. A spring 14 is secured to the upper face of the gear 12 and isdeflected upwardly so as normally to engage a pin 15 dependingdownwardly from the lower face of a gear 15 secured to the shaft 13. Asindicated in Figs. l and 6, the shaft 13 has secured thereto upper andlower reels 11 for carrying the bands 80 of the leading blind 8| of afocal plane shutter. The gear 15 meshes with a. gear 82 formed on a slotsetting button 83 for the focal plane shutter. 'I'he slot setting button83 is Journaled for rotation upon the stub shaft 1| and is reciprocableupon the shaft in an outward direction against the tension of a spring84 interposed between a washer 85 secured to the end of the shaft andthe bottom of a recess formed in the upper end of the slot settingbutton. A gear 85 is also journaled for rotation on the stub shaft 1|below the gear 82 and slot setting pins 90 and 9| are adapted to engageone another when the following and leading blinds of the focal planeshutter are in closed position. The pins and 9| project in opppositedirections from opposed faces of the gears 82 and 85. When it is desiredto set the slot adjusting pins 90 and 9|, button 83 is pulled outwardlyagainst the tension of the spring 84 until the gear 82 is brought out ofmesh with the gear 15 and then the button 83 is rotated to separate thepins 90 and 9| a suillcient amount to obtain the desired slot openingbetween the leading and following blinds of the focal plane shuttermechanism. Gear 85 meshes with a gear 92 xed to a shaft 93 which carriessecured thereto a drum 94 upon which the following blind 95 is wound.The bands 95 of the following blind extend partially around idler drums91 journaled for rotation upon a shaft 00 and extend and are i'lxed toreel |0| fixed to a lshaft |02, arranged as indicated in Figs l, 5

and 6. The shaft |00 has fixed thereto the drum |03 to which one end ofthe leading blind 8| is fixed. The bands 80 of the leading blind 8|extend partially around idler pulleys |04 journaled for rotation on theshaft 93. Manual rotation of the button 53 and gear 55 in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. 5, will cause counterclockwise rotation ofthe gears 12 and 92 so as to wind up the focal plane shutter moving' theblinds 8| and 95 from left to right, as viewed in Fig. 6. The focalplane shutter may be released by depressing the upwardly inclinedp0rtion of the spring 14 so as to disengage the same from the pin 15carried by gear 15 to. break the connection between'gears 12 and 15.

The focal plane shutter is moved from right to left, as viewed in Fig.6, by springs |05 each fixed at one end to one of the shafts |00 and |02and at its other end to a cap member |05 fixed to the upper horizontalpartition of the inner framing of the camera. The springs |05 are soarranged that they are wound up as the blinds 5| and 95 of the focalplane shutter are wound by rotation of the button 53 and the gear 55. Apawl |01 and spring means |08, supported by the top cover l2 preventscounter-clockwise rotation of button 53 and gear 55. (Fig. 5), of theshutter winding mechanism. The upwardly defiected portion of the spring14 may be pressed downwardly by means of an operating or release button||8 provided with a collar engageable with the upper surface of the freeend of spring 14 sogas to disengage the latter from the pin 15. Thispermits the springs |05 to operate the leading and following blinds 8|and 95 of the focal plane shutter from right to left, as viewed the slotsetting' in Fig. 6, the proper slot opening being maintained between theblinds due to the setting of the slot control button 83 and pins 90 and9| so that the proper slot opening will be maintained during operationof the focal plane shutter and then closed as the shutter arrives at itslefthand position.y This brings the slot setting pins 30 and 9|` againinto engagement. The slot setiting mechanism may be of any conventionaltype.

The slot setting mechanism above is described merely by Way of example.

The mirror 36 may be operated to horizontal position by means of pin-||2 extending outward- 1y from one of the side iianges 31 and projectedthrough a suitable arcuate slot. ||3 provided in the vertically disposedpartition member 22. A T-shaped operating lever ||4 is pivoted asindicated at ||5 in Fig. 3 to the partition 22 and has a spring ||6 xedthereto. A pin ||1 projecting radially outwardly from the shaft 13 isengageable with the spring I |6 to deflect the spring and pin to causeclockwise rotation of the lever H4, as `viewed in Fig. 3, when thespring 14 is disengagedv from the pin 15 upon depression of theoperating or release button H0. Clockwise rotation of the lever ||4 isprevented because of engagement of the upper end thereof with a lever|20 Auntil such time as the lever |20 has been rotated about its. pivot|2| by means of the operating button ||0 which engages the right handend of lever |20. Depression of the operating or release button v||0will elevate the left-hand end of the lever |20-(Fig. 7), and permitclockwise rotation of the lever ||4 so as to rotate the mirror 36 to ahorizontal position by virtue oi the engagement of one arm of the lever||4 with the pin ||2 causing the latter to be elevated to a positionadjacent the upper end oi the slot ||3. A spring |2| may be provided onthe left hand end of the lever |20,as viewed in Fig. 1, and engageablewith a catch |22 provided at the upper left hand corner of the `ipwardlyextending arm of lever ||4 so as to latch the lever in its rotatedposition in a clockwise direction and maintain the mirror in elevatedposition as long as the release or operating button ||0 is depressed forthe purpose of making time exposures. A counting dial |23 is mountedupon the periphery of the bushing 64 and is not rotated with respect tothe latter except for resetting the dial to zero. A pointer |24 isprovided on the shutter winding button 63 for counting the number ofexposures made. The ratio of the number of teeth on the gears 65 and 12is such that the gear 65 and button 63 do not rotate a completerevolution for each shutter winding. For example, the counting dial |23may be provided with forty divisions about its circumference and thegear 65 provided with 40 teeth while the gear 12 has but 39 teeth sothat the pointer |24 will drop one graduation for each shutter winding.A lm winding button |25 is secured to a shaft |26 which passes throughthe bore of the shutter winding button 63 and through the upperhorizontally disposed partition ||4 for the purpose of operating the lm43. A pin |21 and a slot |28 may be provided on the buttons |25 and 63for engaging and disengaging the same upon raising or lowering thebutton |25. A gear |32 is reciprocably mounted upon the shaft |26 andsecured against relative rotation thereto by means of a slot and pinconnection |3|. The gear |32 is connected by means of gears |33 and |34to a gear |35 attached to the upper end of the shaft of a tooth drum |36which serves to feed a perforated film onto a film spool i3?. I'he shaft|26 is not connected directly to the lrn spool |31 but rather isconnected to a clutch |38 by means of a slot |39 formed in the shaft |26and a bar portion |40 in the upper end of the clutch member |38. Thelower end of the clutch member |38 is in the form of a split sleevedisposed within the upper end of the bore of the spool |31 and havingspring arms |4i cut away from the upper end portion oi the clutch member|38 about a substantial portion of the sleeve so that the spring arms|4| will yieldably engage the upper end of the spool |31 for rotatingthe same. As lm is wound upon the spool l 31 and the diameter of theWound spool increased upon the spool, the clutch |38 will slip withinthe spool so as to compensate for the increased thickness of nlm Woundupon the spool. The gear |35 is normally maintained in mesh with thegear |34 so as to be driven by means of the gear |32 lthrough the gear|33. A spring |42 maintains the gear |35 in elevated position so as tomesh with the gear |34. A button |43 is provided on the upper face ofthe gear |35 and may be depressed for disengaging the drum |36 from thegear train |32, |33, |34, so that lm 43 may be rewound upon its supplyspool |46 disposed at the opposite side of the camera.

As many changes may be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be hadwithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. In a camera, a case providing an exposure chamber, a swingable mirrorin said chamber, means for swinging said mirror to a horizontal positionso that the back of the mirror denes a top wall of said chamber, thefront face of said case being provided with an opening for admittinglight to said chamber, a film exposing window in said chamber oppositesaid opening, and means including horizontally vdisposed corrugations onthe back of said mirror and arranged parallel to the front face of saidcase for preventing light admitted through said opening from beingreected by said mirror to said window.

2. In a reiiex camera, a case providing an exposure chamber therein, adetachable top cover for said case and provided with an opening therein,a horizontally disposed partition in said case and arranged adjacent thetop of said chamber, said partition being provided with a non-circularopening directly below the opening in said top cover, a focusing screencovering the opening in said partition, a mirror arranged in `saidexposure chamber below said focusing screen and normally disposed in aplane at a 45 degree angle with respect to the plane of said screen, amagnifying lens disposed directly above the opening in said top cover,means for adjusting the distance from said lens to said focusing screen,and means for moving said mirror into a plane parallel to the plane ofsaid focusing screen to shut oif light through said screen to saidexposure chamber.

3. In a reiiex camera, a case providing an exposure chamber therein, aremovable top cover for said case and provided with an opening therein,a focusing screen disposed adjacent the top of said chamber and directlybelow said opening, a mirror arranged in said exposure chamber directlybelow said focusing screen and normally disposed in a plane at a 45degree angle with re- 75 spect to the plane of said/screen. a lens andlens mounting arranged in said opening, means for adjusting the distancebetween said lens and screen. and means for moying said mirror into aplaneparalleltotheplaneofsaidscreenand directly therebelow to shut oillight through the screen to said exposure chamber.

4. In a reilex camera, a case providing an exposure chamber therein, aswingable mirror pivotally mounted in said chamber and normally arrangedin a 45 degree angular position with respect to the plane of the frontface of said case. said case being provided with openings in both thefront face and top thereof for admitting light to said chamber, a lensand lens mounting arranged in each of said openings, means for adjustingeach of said lenses with reference to said mirror, a focusing screenarranged adjacent the top of said exposure chamber and below the openingin the top of said case. said screen being arranged in a plane normal tothe plane of the'front face of said camera. and means for swinging saidmirror to a position below and parallel to said focusing screed.

5. In a reflex camera, a focal plane shutter, a swingable mirrornormally positioned in a plane at an angle of 45 degrees with respect tothe plane of said focal plane shutter, spring means for operating saidshutter in one direction. means including a spool and a shutter windingbutton for winding up said shutter against the tension of said springmeans. spring means for swinging said mirror to a position such that itsplane is normal tothe plane of said focal plane shutter, manuallyoperable means for releasing both of said spring means for eii'ectingyoperation of both the mirror and the focal plane shutter, iilm windingmeans including a illm spool and a film winding button, a shaft attachedto said nlm winding button and extending axially through the shutterwinding button so as to engage said nlm winding spool ior operating thelatter, and means for detachably connecting said button for selectivelyeifecting joint and independent operations of said shutter and nlmwinding means.

- aosmos s e. In a reflex camera. s focal a swingable mirrornol'llillls' positioned 'in a piane atanangleofidegreeswithresn'atotheplane o! said focal plane shutter. spring for operating said shutter inone direction. means including a spool and a shutter button forwindingup said shutter against tension of said spring means. spring means forswinging said mirror to a position such that its piane is normal to theplane of said focal plane shutter. manually operable means for releasingboth said spring means for eiiecting operation vof both the mirror andthe focal plane shutter, nlm winding means including a film spool and aiilm winding button. a shaft attached to said film winding button andextending axially through the shutter winding button so as to engagesaid film winding spool for operating the latter, means for detachablyconnecting said buttons together for edecting Joint operation of saidshutter and illm winding means. and a slip clutch means carried by saidfilm winding spool for compensating for unequal amounts of iilm wound onthe film winding spool.

7. In a reflex camera, a focal plane shutter. a swingable mirrornormally positioned in a plane at an angle of 45 degrees with respect tothe plane of said focal plane shutter, spring means tor operating saidshutter in one direction, spring means for swinging said mirror to aposition such that its plane is normal to the plane of said focal planeshutter, manually operable means for releasing both of said spring meansfor eifecting operation of both the mirror and the focal plane shutter.nlm winding means for advancing a film, and means operable by said nlmwinding means for conditioning said first-named spring means foroperating said shutter, and .said secondnamed spring means for operatingsaid swingable mirror upon operation of said manually operable releasemeans.

WILHELM MARCUSSEN.

